Container device for treating photographic film with a liquid

ABSTRACT

A liquid-tight container device for treating therein a plurality of photographic films with a liquid. The device includes a removable rack of novel structure in which the films can be so mounted that they will be held securely in spaced relation while the emulsion of each is protected against abrasion and subjected to a liquid treatment. The device is particularly adapted to process the already-developed-and-fixed negative component of socalled positive-negative film (e.g., Type 55 P/N film sold by Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) after its separation from the positive component to clear residual developer from the emulsion.

United States Patent [1 1 1111 3,741,099 Buckley June 26, 1973 [54] CONTAINER DEVICE FOR TREATING 3,383,009 5/1968 Weiken 220/31 s x PHOTOGRAPH; FILM WITH A LIQUID 1,158,879 11/1915 Wilson 95/98 X [75] inventor: William R. Buckley, Pembroke,

Mass.

[73] Anignee: Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge,

Mass.

[22] Filed: Oct. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 191,630

[52] .U.S. Cl. 95/98, 95/100 [51] Int. Cl. G03d 3/00 [58] Field 01 Search 95/89 R, 96, 97, 95/98, 100; 211/45, 50, 55; 220/31 S, 46 R, 97 R [56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 422,143 2/1890 Moeller 95/98 1,194,321 8/1916 Randall 95/100 2,120,706 6/1938 Lynch 95/98 X 2,743,029 4/1956 Mautner 220/46 R X Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Fred L. Braun Ayma- Robert L- 59mm R b k =1 [57] ABSTRACT A liquid-tight container device for treating therein a plurality of photographic films with a liquid. The device includes a removable rack of novel structure in which the films can be so mounted that they will be held securely in spaced relation while the emulsion of each is protected against abrasion and subjected to a liquid treatment. The device is particularly adapted to process the already-developed-and-fixed negative component of so-called positive-negative film (e.g., Type 55 P/N film sold by Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) after its separation from the positive component to clear residual developer from the emulsion.

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures CONTAINER DEVICE FOR TREATING PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM WITH A LIQUID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional means, available to the layman, for treating exposed photographic film material with a processing liquid may be in the form of a developer tank having internal structure for advancing continuous lengths of film material through the liquid. Again, where separate sheets of the film, e.g. those of a film pack, are to be treated, they are usually processed individually in a tray, or, in quantity, when suspended by clips from rods extending across the open face of a tank holding the liquid.

inasmuch as the present invention is primarily directed toward treating or processing, often under exacting field conditions, the relatively-fragile developedand-fixed emulsion of negative film material, wherein a protective environment is essential and prompt subjection of the emulsion to a liquid under agitation is necessary to clear residual developer therefrom while maintaining the emulsion completely free from contact by other than the liquid, it will be apparent that means of the conventional types, above referenced, would be unsuitable to the purpose. Accordingly, apparatus of the subject invention necessarily involves a somewhat different approach and the employment of special means to effect processing'of the film materials contemplated. i

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The subject invention isdirected to a compact, portable, liquid-tight tank or container with a removable internal rack, herein termed a container device, for enabling protective transport and one or more processing steps relative to a plurality of sheets, e.g., on the order of 4 X 5 sheets, of photographic film. More especially,

the device is adapted to treat the negative component of a so-called positive-negative film material (Type 55 P/N film soldby Polaroid Corporation of Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.A.). Composite film material of this description, characteristically, is exposed," developed and fixed inithe camera.

Upon removal of the film material from the camera, a negative component is stripped from'a positive print component. When thus'separa'ted, the negative is already completely developed and fixed and is not lightsensitive. However, the emulsion is soft and there is a layer of developer adhering to the negative. Consequently, the negative must be handled carefully to prevent damage thereto. The developer layer still has residual chemical activity and must be removed as 1 quickly as possible from the emulsion to prevent staining or marking of the negative image, namely, within three minutes. The container device of the present invention, when carrying an lS-percent sodium sulfite solution, serves the purpose of clearing the residual developer from the negative in a convenient and effective manner, insuring that theemulsion is held out of contact with any part of the device or with other negatives carried therein. Moreover, it allows the photographer to pursue work uninterruptedly, under studio orfield conditions, accumulating negatives in the tank component and then transporting them safely to a location at which they may be washed and dried. A second similar device may be used for the washing step. It will also be apparent that the container device of the invention could serve a useful purpose in processing procedures associated with other types of film, wherein'separation and protection of fragile film portions is of special importance.

The construction of the subject container device, with particular reference to its film-supporting rack component, provides positive separation and protection of a plurality of film units undergoing treatment. Once a negative has been flexed and inserted in one of the rack compartments, with film ends positioned in the grooves of the corrugated side-panels and the film base supported by a concave partition or wall, the emulsion is positioned for direct subjection to the clearing solution. The negative will remain thus positioned while the device is shaken or otherwise moved to provide a desired agitation of the solution or even if it is overturned. As described in detail below, a positive seal between the tank and cover components is provided to insure non-leakage of the liquid under any condition. The container sump, at its base, serves to collect waste developer or sludge which has been cleared from the negative emulsion. The rack, being held securely in the tank by the resiliency of a contacting partition, may readily be removed for cleaning all portions of the device whenever necessary.

With reference to the foregoing considerations, a principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved portable container device for applying a liquid treatment to and safeguarding a plurality of photographic films.

Other objects are to provide a container device of the character described which embodies a removable rack for positively holding the films and for protecting softened emulsions thereof against contact with other film portions or with any portion of the device, especially during movement of the latter; to provide a container device as set forth which is especially adapted to the treatment of the negative component of a so-called positive-negative film to clear the negative of residual developer after it has been developed and fixed; to provide a container device as stated which includes a releasable cover enabling ready'access to the tank interior chamber and means providing a liquid-tight seal between the cover and tank components; to provide a container device of the type indicated wherein is included an easily-emptied sump component integral therewith for collecting waste substances'involved in the film treatment; and to provide a container device as characterized wherein the tank component is provided with a flared rim which, with complementary portions of the cover, serve as an apron for collecting any excess of a processing liquid. 7

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of'the' exterior of the container device of the invention illustrating the latch at holding position;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the container device with its cover open showing the mounting rack and film positioned therein and complementary liquid-tight sealing means of the container and cover components;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the filmmounting rack looking downwardly thereinto;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary side view, partly in section, of complementary latch elements of the cover and container, respectively; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the nature of the sealing arrangement between the cover and container when the cover is closed on the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The container device of the invention is shown from the exterior in FIG. 1. Illustrated are the container or tank component 12 which includes the integral sump 14 at its base, the flared upper rim or apron 16 having an undercutsurface 16a surrounding an open face which enables accessto an interior chamber 17, the perimetric bead 1'8 with discontinuous cut-away portion 18a, and the split resilient hinge components 20. Also shown are the, cover 22 which includes the hingepin 24 and the latch element 26. In-assembling the container l2 and cover 22, the pin 24 is snapped into the hinge components'20.

It will be noted that the latch element 26 is a unitary appendage of the cover 22 at area 22a which includes a thinned flexible portion at 2212 (FIG. 4) of the cover material and constitutes a so-called living hinge. The stepped or hooked portion 26a of the latch is shown as engagingv the undercut surface 16a of the rim, thus holding the cover at a firmly closed position. The container component 12 with associated sump 14, rim 16, bead 18 and hinge components 20 may, appropriately, be formed of a suitable plastic material such as acrylonitrile, buta'diene and styrene (ABS) by an injectionmolding process. The cover 22 with hinge pin 24 and latch 26 may, suitably, be composed of a plastic'material, e.g., a glass-filled polypropylene formed by a similar injection-molding method.

Further considering the structure of the container component 12 and the cover 22, it will be observed in FIG. 2 that the rim 16 of the container component is flared outwardly. A channel or slot 28 is formed in the rim 16 so as to extend completely around the open face leading into the chamber 17 of the container. A resilient gasket 30, composed, for example of a silicone sponge rubber, is inset in the channel 28.

The cover includes within its inner surface a rib structure 32, serving to augment its I rigidity and strength and thus prevent its deformatiomand a protruding flange 34 extending rect-angularly around the surface; The flange 34 is adapted to mate with the channel 28 and gasket 30 of the container component 12 when the cover is closed to provide a liquid-tight seal. It will be observed that the flange 34 is characterized by the reduced end portion or rounded extremity 34a and the wider base portion 34b. When the cover is pivoted to closed position (See FIG. 5), the base portion 34b slides within the channel 28 to reduce the chance of any lateral displacement of the cover. The leading portion 34a, bearing against the gasket 30,

forces and compacts the gasket material against both the reduced end portion 34a and the lower edge portion 61 of the flange 34 to effect a double liquid-tight seal between the cover and the container component.

The chamber 17 of the container component 12 holds a liquid, e.g., an emulsion-clearing liquid such as a solution composed of 220 grams of anhydrous sodium a plurality of photographic sheets in spaced apart relationship with their emulsion sides exposed for free contact with a processing fluid. The rack is substantially rigid overall and may be exposed of any suitable material, a preferred composition being a plastic substance such as ABS, above-mentioned as that of the container component 12. Assuming the aforesaid type of plastic, the rack may be formed by an injection-molding method. It should be understood that, while in its illustrated embodiment the rack 38 is shown as a unitary component, in other arrangements it may comprise a plurality of components assembled, or positioned, as required. The rack 38 includes a plurality of concave vertical supporting walls or partitions 40 joined to a pair of corrugated side walls or panels 42 to form a plurality of compartments 44. The number of compartments provided depends upon the desired overall dimensional limitations of the container device. An end wall 46 is indicated as planar, although a slight extension of the side walls 42 would permit its being of a curved form also. The supporting and side walls are preferably continuous and thus impervious to passage of the clearing liquid therethrough. Top and bottom surfaces of the rack are open, permitting circulation of the liquid therewithin. The corrugated structure of side walls 42 provides a plurality of vertical grooves or channels 48 at areas contiguous with the partition walls 40.

The support wall 40a is moderately resilient. When the rack is positioned within the container chamber 17, the convex surface of rack wall 40a'yields slightly to provide frictional contact with the adjacent chamber wall whereby the rack is held securely within the chamber. The side walls 42 may, appropriatelybe in slidable" contact with the inner walls of the chamber adjacent thereto. The bottom portions of rack 38 are adapted to rest upon the'lateral marginal surfaces 50 surrounding the sump 14. These surfaces serve as limit stop means defining the proper depth of insertion of the rack in chamber 17.

A negative film component 52 of a type contemplated for treatment comprises an acetate base 52a and a developed and fixed emulsion 52b, the latter being in a still-softened condition when the negative is stripped from the positive print. The negative base is of a flexible elastic quality. The linear transverse distance between opposed grooves 48 of the side walls 42 is predeterminedly less than the width of the negative 52. Accordingly, the negative 52 is flexed when manually inserted in a compartment 44 to assume the approximate curve of a wall 40, the opposite ends of the negative thus includes means for supporting opposed edges of each photographic sheet or film component 52, in the form of the grooves 48, and for engaging the base 52a thereof, in the form of walls 40a, to urge respective edges of the sheet against the grooves. The negative emulsion 52b is completely out of contact with the wall 40 or with any other negative which latter, of course, is positioned in another of the compartments. The emulsion, accordingly, is adapted to be contacted by the clearing liquid 36, under agitation as provided, for example, by moving the device gently to-and-fro. The waste substance, e.g., the residual developer on the film emulsion which it is necessary to clear therefrom, is released and falls into the sump 14 as a sludge. It is removed when the rack 38 is withdrawn at the conclusion of usage and both the rack and container components are cleaned. The continuous wall structure of components 40 and 42 prevents an undue agitation of the liquid which might pull away the softened emulsion during the clearing operation.

The bottom face of the container component 12 is provided with a rectangular projection 14, while the outside face of thecover 22 is provided with a rectangular recess 60 of complementary configuration. This arrangement facilitates the stacking of a plurality of the devices 10, one upon the other, in a relatively stable vertical array. 1

It will be understood that the subject invention may be otherwise practiced or embodied without departing from the spirit or character thereof. The preferred embodiment described herein is to be regarded, therefore, as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope thereof being indicated by the appended claims and all variations which come within the meaning of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:'

l. A compact, readily transportable liquid-tight contioned in spaced apart relationship with the emulsion sides thereof exposed for free contact with such fluid, said receiving means comprising a unitary rack component releasably mounted in said chamber, said rackcomponent including a plurality of curved walls having convex surfaces spaced from each other from the front to the rear of said rack and a pair of corrugated side walls having grooves therein, said curved walls extending laterally between said sidewalls and providing therewith a plurality of compartments configured to receive such film sheetsindividually in said compartments and support their film base portions by the curved walls and their lateral edges by the grooves of said corrugated side walls, said rack component being greater in front-to-rear dimension than the distance between a pair of opposed walls of said chamber, and said rack component being of resilient material such that the convex surface of the outermost curved wall thereof is adapted to be sprung. inwardly to facilitate insertion into said chamber and to thereafter expand so as to place with said pair of opposed walls thereby releasably retaining said rack in said chamber.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said corrugated side walls are defined by first portions extending from the lateral edges of said curved walls on the concave side thereof and converging toward each other, and second portions extending from each of said first portions to the convex surface of the next of said curved walls so as to thereby provide each of said compartments, said first portions forming said grooves.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein said container component defines a rectangular chamber, and said rack component provides a slide fit between the other opposed walls of said chamber.

4. A container device, as defined in claim 1 wherein said curved walls are continuous and thus are impervious to the passage of such liquid therethrough.

5. The container of claim 1 additionally including a cover configured to overlie said open face to enclose said chamber, and wherein said container includes a flared rim at its open face, said rim having areas inwardly inclined so as to serve as apron portions to confine any excess of processing liquid thereto which might otherwise escape exteriorly of said container, and said cover being configured such that its edges generally lie laterally inwardly of the outer edges of said rim and said cover being hingedly mounted to said flared rim laterally inwardly of said outer edges thereof so as to facilitate the return of excess liquid thereon to said apron portions and subsequently to said chamber.

6. A container device, as defined in claim 5, wherein said flared rim terminates in a substantially perimetric head.

7. A container device, as defined in claim 6, wherein said bead is discontinuous at the front of the container providing an open gap therein.

8. A container device, as defined in claim 7, wherein the edges of said hinged cover'lie laterally inwardly of said bead in the'closed position'of said cover.

9. The container of claim *1 additionally including a cover configured to overlie said open face to enclose said chamber, and means for effecting a liquid-tight 'seal'between said container component and said cover,

said seal means comprising a channel extending completely around either one of said open face of said container component or the inside face of said cover, a resilient gasket disposed in said channel, a protruding flange extending around the other one of said open face of said container component or the inside face of said cover, said flange being configured to enter said channel and engage and compress said gasket when said cover is closed, said flange including a base portion and a reduced end portion extending therefrom, and said gasket extending across the full width of such channel and forming a generally planar upper surface configured for contact with said flange when said cover is closed on said container component such that said reduced end portion engages said gasket causing it to expand into contact with the walls of said channel and the lower edge of said base portion of said flange thereby effecting a liquid-tight seal between said channel, said gasket, and both said reduced end portion and said base portion of said flange.

10. A container device, as defined in claim 9, wherein said gasket is formed of a silicone sponge rubber.

11. A container device, as defined in claim ,9, wherein said flange displaces approximately one-half of the area of said channel when said cover is closed so as to insure a tight seal between said flange and gasket.

12. The container of claim 1 wherein'saidvcontainer component includes a flared rim surrounding said open face, said flared rim including inwardly inclined portions configured to return to the interior of such chamber excess liquid deposited on said rim, a rectangular groove formed in said rim, a resilient gasket mounted in said groove, said gasket closely fitted to said groove and forming a generally planar surface near the upper open end thereof, a cover component hingedly conclosed. 

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said corrugated side walls are defined by first portions extending from the lateral edges of said curved walls on the concave side thereof and converging toward each other, and second portions extending from each of said first portions to the convex surface of the next of said curved walls so as to thereby provide each of said compartments, said first portions forming said grooves.
 3. The container of claim 2 wherein said container component defines a rectangular chamber, and said rack component provides a slide fit between the other opposed walls of said chamber.
 4. A container device, as defined in claim 1 wherein said curved walls are continuous and thus are impervious to the passage of such liquid therethrough.
 5. The container of claim 1 additionally including a cover configured to overlie said open face to enclose said chamber, and wherein said container includes a flared rim at its open face, said rim having areas inwardly inclined so as to serve as apron portions to confine any excess of processing liquid thereto which might otherwise escape exteriorly of said container, and said cover being configured such that its edges generally lie laterally inwardly of the outer edges of said rim and said cover being hingedly mounted to said flared rim laterally inwardly of said outer edges thereof so as to facilitate the return of excess liquid thereon to said apron portions and subsequently to said chamber.
 6. A container device, as defined in claim 5, wherein said flared rim terminateS in a substantially perimetric bead.
 7. A container device, as defined in claim 6, wherein said bead is discontinuous at the front of the container providing an open gap therein.
 8. A container device, as defined in claim 7, wherein the edges of said hinged cover lie laterally inwardly of said bead in the closed position of said cover.
 9. The container of claim 1 additionally including a cover configured to overlie said open face to enclose said chamber, and means for effecting a liquid-tight seal between said container component and said cover, said seal means comprising a channel extending completely around either one of said open face of said container component or the inside face of said cover, a resilient gasket disposed in said channel, a protruding flange extending around the other one of said open face of said container component or the inside face of said cover, said flange being configured to enter said channel and engage and compress said gasket when said cover is closed, said flange including a base portion and a reduced end portion extending therefrom, and said gasket extending across the full width of such channel and forming a generally planar upper surface configured for contact with said flange when said cover is closed on said container component such that said reduced end portion engages said gasket causing it to expand into contact with the walls of said channel and the lower edge of said base portion of said flange thereby effecting a liquid-tight seal between said channel, said gasket, and both said reduced end portion and said base portion of said flange.
 10. A container device, as defined in claim 9, wherein said gasket is formed of a silicone sponge rubber.
 11. A container device, as defined in claim 9, wherein said flange displaces approximately one-half of the area of said channel when said cover is closed so as to insure a tight seal between said flange and gasket.
 12. The container of claim 1 wherein said container component includes a flared rim surrounding said open face, said flared rim including inwardly inclined portions configured to return to the interior of such chamber excess liquid deposited on said rim, a rectangular groove formed in said rim, a resilient gasket mounted in said groove, said gasket closely fitted to said groove and forming a generally planar surface near the upper open end thereof, a cover component hingedly connected to said container component laterally inwardly of one edge of said rim with latching means adapted to engage an opposite edge of said rim, a rectangular flange formed on the inside of said cover adapted to contact and compress said gasket when said cover is closed, said flange including a base portion and a reduced end portion extending therefrom, said reduced end portion being configured to engage said gasket and expand the latter into contact with said base portion of said flange to effect a tight seal when said cover is closed. 